


Damsel In Distress: Luthien's Role As Feminist Icon

by lobsterfeet



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms
Genre: about feminism in LOTR, and likely to change, any views expressed therein are my own, but got a good grade so we good, haven't re read it since i wrote it, my final paper for english senior year hs, scholarly work, this is an essay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-23 19:03:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18555892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lobsterfeet/pseuds/lobsterfeet
Summary: My final paper for Senior English in High School. I decided it would be fun to post some of my serious papers on AO3. And since it is 12:14 AM I am not going to write an abstract for (what was on google docs) a six page paper.





	Damsel In Distress: Luthien's Role As Feminist Icon

Damsel in Distress: Luthien’s Role as A Feminist Icon  
Of all of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, the story Of Beren and Luthien is perhaps one of the most famous. It is a love story within an adventure within a legend. But at its core lies an important theme: Damsels are not always in distress. Though Beren, a man, is thought to be the traditional hero of the tale, Luthien, his romantic companion, plays an important part in all aspects of her life with Beren. Without her, Beren would not have been able to accomplish any of his great deeds. However, Luthien also accomplishes her own feats of heroism, including rescuing herself from prison, saving Beren’s life at least twice, and bringing both of them back from the dead. Though not feminist in and of itself, Beren and Luthien operates on the belief that women are people capable of greatness in their own right, and it can be used to study the author’s own beliefs on feminism.

The tale Of Beren and Luthien is not only a “marvel in its own right” (Carswell i), it represents some of Tolkien’s personal beliefs including his embrace of the “women are people” doctrine—occasionally referred to as “feminism” by modern scholars. According to Humphrey Carpenter, Tolkien’s biographer, “of all his legends, the tale of Beren and Luthien was the one most loved by Tolkien” (Matthews 6), implying that this tale is the one that was most in line with his personal beliefs. “Beren and Luthien” also illustrates Tolkien’s “deeply personal romantic vision” (Rosebury 92). The courtship of Beren and Luthien in the form of a quest shows Tolkien’s view of romantic love (Matthews 3)—that it must be consented to by both parties. This is illustrated in the Sketch of the Mythology (an early version of the tale, included in the modern edition of Beren and Luthien) as Thingol—her father—says “I will let Luthien wed thee, if she will” (Beren and Luthien 109), thus giving Luthien an unusual free choice in whom she marries. Tolkien’s belief in the ability of women to be equal to men is shown through his characterization of Luthien, and extended to her heroism. Matthews says that Luthien reminded Beren of the good he fought for, “perhaps even of a good beyond the confines of this world” (43). If Luthien is representing divine goodness, she must be exceptional in and of herself. This also illustrates Tolkien’s belief that women are capable beings. However, the medieval stories Tolkien devoted his life to studying were not always in agreement.

Most stories of Tolkien’s type have a “damsel in distress,” a common element of early medieval literature. This woman is trapped in some sort of prison thought to be inescapable. In this version, the woman must wait, pining for the man who will save her. Luthien rejects this. Instead of waiting to be won, she chooses her own fate.   
George Clark and Charles A. Huttar both make a point of mentioning Tolkien’s search for a true hero in his writings (Clark 43; Huttar 4). Tolkien’s research into the history of the mythological hero leads to his molding of Luthien into one. Luthien follows this “hero” archetype with her actions to free herself. When her father imprisons her in the great beech tree called Hirilorn (202), Luthien decides to escape instead of doing what she is expected to do: wait there until Beren either dies or comes back successful from his quest for her hand. In order to escape Luthien “caused her hair to grow to great length, and of it she wove a dark robe that wrapped her beauty like a shadow, and it was laden with a spell of sleep. Of the strands that remained she twined a rope, and she let it down from her window; and as the end swayed above the guards that sat beneath the tree they fell into a deep slumber” (203). So Luthien escaped under the noses of her father and all others to go and help Beren win her hand in marriage. It is this free choice that makes Luthien even higher in Tolkien’s moral hierarchy. It also shows her personal power of choice. This is not a small thing, considering “a basic tenet of Tolkien’s moral system is his affirmation of choice” (Matthews 28). Luthien’s position at the top of the moral ladder shows her inherent goodness and how highly she was valued by Tolkien, who made her a free acting woman, instead of woman to be controlled. 

This particular scene also introduces the concept of Luthien as a possession. Beren, in some way, sees Luthien as a thing to be possessed, even though he is the object of her “reciprocated love” (Matthews 49). Luthien’s father also sees her, as well as the jewels that are her bride price, as a thing to be possessed. But in Tolkien’s mythos, this type of possessive greed leads to a “disorder that leads to catastrophe and tragedy” (Matthews 24). In escaping, Luthien eschews the role of “captive” and “possession” to become her own person and follow the man she loves. She does this bravely in the face of an unknown fate, even though it could result in anguish (Matthews 44). This is a hero’s choice.   
That leads to Luthien—her own love being described as “not the poisonous, self-absorbed desire of possession, but the self-giving love of other for the other’s sake” (Matthews 70)—and Beren representing a force of light through the whole story. Together they serve “to counteract the poisonous effects of the numerous dyscatastrophes [a dyscatastrophe being a bad event that only leads to more bad things] that proceed and surround it” (9). Being one of the heroes, “Beren ultimately has his values in order: person over object” (53). In this love is shown the devotion of a couple and their mutual respect. 

Luthien’s role is far larger than just an object of desire. She shows herself to be capable in her rescue of Beren. On the way to find Beren, Luthien encountered many other obstacles that she circumvented using her beauty and intelligence. She also gained a friend, Huan the Hound of Valinor, a large wolf-dog. With him, she went to the isle of Werewolves to save Beren, as “left to his own devices, he would have surely have met his end in the dungeon of Sauron” (Matthews 60). Luthien creates a song of power that causes Sauron’s isle to crumble (Silmarillion 206). The use of song here is repeated in a later incidence in which Luthien saves Beren’s life. Both of these songs link Luthien to her male counterparts, many of whom use song as a weapon. Tolkien’s use of song in his works happens frequently (Matthews 9), and reaffirms Luthien as a hero. Eventually the vengeful wolf-dog Huan fought Sauron’s wolf form, finally pinning him. This is where Luthien comes in. In the Lay of Leithian—a poem included in the modern Beren and Luthien edition—she says “here thou shalt die, thy spirit roam/ quaking back to thy master’s home/ his scorn and fury to endure;/… this shall be/ unless the keys thou render me” (Beren and Luthien 162) Sauron, being so afraid of what Luthien could do to him, forsakes his corporeal form and flees back to Morgoth, who is essentially Satan. With the minor villain gone, Luthien is free to go and rescue Beren—for the first time. 

In the final days of their quest, Luthien once again proves herself worthy of independent praise. Luthien accompanies Beren to the chambers of the great Morgoth, who possesses the jewels (called the Silmarils) that are her bride price. In order to get the jewels, she “began a song of such surpassing loveliness and of such blind power, that he [Morgoth] listened perforce; and a blindness came upon him, as his eyes roamed to and fro, seeking her” (213); Luthien used her magic cloak to “set upon him [Morgoth] a dream” (213). Protected by the magical sleep Luthien set on Morgoth, Beren was able to cut a jewel from his crown. The pair made their escape but, at the gate, were barred from exiting by Carcharoth, the mighty wolf of Morgoth. In the end, Carcharoth bites off Beren’s hand, which is holding the jewel. From this wound he is poisoned—seemingly fatally. Again, saves Luthien saves Beren’s life as she “drew out the venom, and she put forth her failing power to staunch the hideous wound” (215). Without Luthien, Beren would have surely died before being able to marry her. Twice, Luthien saves Beren’s life and furthers the quest, choosing her own fate, instead of waiting for a man to do all the work. Beren falls in love with Luthien, who is a “heroine of superior ‘status’” (Rosebury 89). This status brings Luthien a unique choice at the end of the story. 

However, all things must die. In Tolkien’s mythology death is viewed as a “gift” and a mystery (Carswell 27). As the daughter of an Elf and a Maia (powerful spirit), Luthien is unique (Carswell ix), and normally would be immortal. However, since she has fallen in love with a mortal, she is “doomed” to die. Unfortunately, Beren dies in the completion of the quest after being poisoned a second time by Carcharoth (221). Luthien, unwilling to part with Beren lays down and “goes to sleep” (Carswell 63). During this sleep, her soul leaves her body, in her grief departing to the halls of Mandos, Lord of the Dead. Again, Luthien sings in order to influence a deity and make them do what she wants. And because her “beauty was more than their beauty, and her sorrow deeper than their sorrows…” (221) As Mandos was swayed to go before the Lord of the g-ds, Manwë, and ask him to let Luthien rejoin Beren in death. 

This type of favor from Manwë does not happen for anyone in Tolkien, save for this remarkable woman. Here Manwë gives Luthien two choices, to go alone to the eternal realm of Elves or return to Middle Earth and “take with her Beren” (222). She chooses the second option instead of being alone. She makes this difficult choice of her own volition and the two return from death.   
This would not have been possible if Luthien had not the power to ask the g-ds to let her rejoin Beren. Tolkien’s mythology does not generally allow those who have died to return, but Luthien’s sorrowful singing convinced a stone hearted g-d to let her live again. In effect, Luthien brings them both back from the dead, a feat not accomplished by anyone else in the history of Middle Earth. 

Matthews says “[Tolkien] elevates our conception of our capabilities…” (61). If this is true, then on some level by writing the character of Luthien, Tolkien must have been trying to include women in that narrative. Carswell expands on this idea, saying in a footnote:   
“However, I find Luthien, and in reality many of Tolkien’s female characters, to be strikingly in line with modern feminist notions. They often come to the rescue of clumsy and foolish men; they are often paragons of wisdom; and they don’t really like being hemmed into a tight corner.” (50)  
Luthien, through her rescues and escapes represents a more modern idea of hero and woman, to the notice of scholars everywhere. There is little in the text to suggest that Luthien is anything other than a hero in her own right. 

The character of Luthien is a woman, yes, but a strong and independent one. Instead of letting herself be led about by others, she takes her own fate in her hands. Luthien chooses freely, without ulterior motives and malice. In contrast to the men about her, she exhibits strength and unparallelled wisdom. Luthien represents not only goodness and joy, but also an idea not commonly given to women: that they are strong, equally capable people, and that they can make important choices. This is why the story of Beren and Luthien is not only an iconic story, but a groundbreaking one as well. Luthien continues to inspire strong heroines, and will do so into the far future. 

 

Works Cited  
Carswell, John Miner. Tolkien's Requiem: Concerning Beren and Luthien. True Myths Press, 2014.  
Clark, George. “J.R.R. Tolkien and the True Hero.” J.R.R. Tolkien, Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2008, pp. 43–57. Bloom's Literary Criticism.  
Huttar, Charles A. “Tolkien, Epic Traditions, and Golden Age Myths.” J.R.R. Tolkien, Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2008, pp. 3–16. Bloom's Literary Criticism.  
Mathews, Richard. Lightning from a Clear Sky: Tolkien, the Trilogy, and the Silmarillion. San Bernardino, Calif: Borgo Press, 1978. Print.  
Tolkien, J. R. R., and Christopher Tolkien. “Of Beren and Luthien.” The Silmarillion, Second ed., Del Rey, 2002, pp. 190–222.  
Tolkien, J. R. R., et al. Beren and LuÌ�Thien. HarperCollins Publishers, 2017.  
Rosebury, Brian. Tolkien: A Critical Assessment. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Macmillan, 1992. Print.  
Rosebury, Brian. “Tolkien in the History of Ideas.” J.R.R. Tolkien, Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2008, pp. 89–120. Bloom's Literary Criticism.


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